Mama director in talks for The Mummy remake remake

by Matt Singer

The Mummy started its (after)life as a 1932 horror film directed by Karl Freund, starring Boris Karloff as the titular t.p.-wrapped monster. The movie was successful enough to spawn five sequels throughout the ’40s and ’50s. In 1999 the original movie was remade for the 21st century, amping up the action and downplaying the atmosphere and scares. This The Mummy was successful too; it got two sequels, a theme park ride at Universal Studios, and a prequel/spin-off (2002’s The Scorpion King, featuring the bad guy from The Mummy Returns before he went bad guy).

After that, the franchise sort of petered out, but you know what they say: one good remake deserves another. And thus Universal is now remaking their Mummy remake. This time the project is being overseen by the writer/producers of projects like Star Trek, Transformers, and Watchmen, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci.

Len Wiseman, whose previous remakes include Total Recall and the pilot for TV’s Hawaii Five-0, was signed to direct, but he dropped out of The Mummy Returns Again (title still pending) in late July. Now The Hollywood Reportersays Wiseman has been replaced by Andres Muschietti, who made Universal’s Mama into a surprisingly big hit (over $140 million worldwide against a $15 million budget) earlier this year. More details from THR:

“Although the original Mummy (1932) was set in the 1920s as were the Brendan Fraser adventure movies, the new script, by Jon Spaihts, sets the tale in the modern age. While plot details are being kept locked in a sarcophagus, the studio is describing the new movie as an ‘action-adventure tentpole with horror elements’ with new characters.”

Apart from a severely janky ending, I thought Mama was a really solid little movie. I’d be more interested in a horror Mummy with action-adventure elements, rather than the other way around, but we can always use fresh new talent working in these stiff and stodgy blockbusters.

After Mama and The Mummy the only place Muschietti can go from here is a remake of Mommie Dearest, preferably co-starring Jason Momoa. Good night everybody! Be sure to try the veal and tip your waitress.